Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20000611.htm

GENESIS: THE SOURCES OF GOOD AND CALAMITY IN OUR ORIGINS
Part III: God's Ongoing Program Of Countering Man's Apostasy At Babel
LL. Round Thirty-Seven - Effectively Directing Maturing Offspring To Live By Faith
(Genesis 49:1-27)
  1. Introduction
    1. Often as parents see their maturing children's tendencies for good or evil begin to emerge, they find it a challenge to address them with suggestions for blessing that they will even want to HEED.
    2. Jacob used his culture's near-death, patriarchial blessing to EFFECT the maximum attentiveness and motivation in his mature sons to live righteously by faith in God (as follows):
  2. Effectively Directing Maturing Offspring To Live By Faith, Genesis 49:1-27.
    1. Near death, the patriarch Jacob called his twelve sons together to give his culturally significant patriarchal blessing to each one, Genesis 49:1a with Genesis 27:1-4.
    2. In doing so, Jacob used the event that produced a maximum attentiveness and motivation in his sons to draw their attentions to harnassing or restraining various tendencies by faith for blessing (as follows):
      1. Jacob spoke of his eldest, Reuben as being unstable as water so that his descendants would not excel:
        1. Though Reuben tried to keep his brothers from killing Joseph so as later to deliver him to his father (Gen. 37:20ff), he also tried to usurp his father's headship by union with his mistress, Gen. 35:22.
        2. Hence, Jacob predicted Reuben's descendants would not excel, a WARNING for the people of Israel to retain consistency by faith in God in respecting the lives and roles of others, Gen. 49:4b.
      2. Simeon and Levi had avenged their sister, Dinah's rape by massacring the whole city of Shechem, Gen. 34. Jacob thus predicted the tribes of these brothers would be scattered throughout Israel to dispel such incendiary influence, 49:5-7. This was a warning for Israel to heed God in handling injustices.
      3. Judah was blessed with predictions of leadership for his part in repenting of his own failings and leading his brothers in confessing their mistreatment of Joseph, Gen. 49:8-12 with 38:26; 43:3-8; 44:14-34. This hints of Israel's need to trust God to lead God's people righteously as had Judah.
      4. Jacob predicted Zebulun's tribe would live by the sea, and Joshua 19:10-16 shows how this came true.
      5. He predicted Issachar's tribe would be content with living easily and even stooping to serve others instead of using their strength to be progressive and take responsibility, Gen. 49:14-15. This prediction is a warning to trust God so as to use personal advantages or gifts productively for His glory.
      6. Jacob told of Dan's people as being warlike in judging others, a prediction fulfilled in the days when Samson of this tribe did exploits,Gen. 49:16-18, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, footnote. The inclusion of Jacob's call to wait for God's salvation in verse 49:18 is inserted as a reminder to look to GOD'S strength for victory, something Samson ceased at one point to do, resulting in his shortened ministry!
      7. Jacob predicted Gad's people would at first be overcome by others, but that it would find deliverance in the end, Gen. 49:19, Ibid., ftn. This is a call for God's people not to waste time seeking God in faith for help, but to start living by faith immediately to enjoy victory at all times!
      8. He told of Asher's people being blessed with rich foods, a prediction coming true as its land lay along the rich seacoast just north of Mount Carmel, Genesis 49:20, Ibid., ftn.
      9. The tribe of Naphtali would be known for its swiftness and eloquency in speech, a prediction that came true in the days of the Judges with Barak and Deborah, Gen. 49:21 with Judges 4:6, 15; 5:1-31.
      10. Jacob predicted Joseph's descendants would be blessed by bounty and bear the responsibility of much future defense of the nation, Gen. 49:22-26. This was abundantly fulfilled in Israel's history.
      11. Benjamin is called a ravenous wolf, picturing great power but also a tendency for cruelty which was constrastingly seen in Benjamin's descendants of Jonathan versus Saul. This call is a warning to trust God to harnass our abilities to edify, and not for cruelty as did Saul,Genesis 49:27.
Lesson: Jacob used the significant, pre-death patriarchal blessing, gaining his sons' undivided attentions and motivation thereby to address their good and bad tendencies by FAITH in hope that his descendants would REACT by looking to GOD to conquer sin and receive His richest blessings!

Application: We parents can use events that gain our maturing offsprings' undivided attentions for maximum effect in talking to them about their good and bad points, and how to handle both by faith.